Friday, February 17
Raleigh, N.C.
3 p.m.
NC State
vs
Wagner
Photo by: Mollie Mitchell
#Pack9 Opens 2023 Season at The Doak Against Wagner
2/16/2023 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
Weekend Game Times: 3 p.m. (Friday) | 2 p.m. (Saturday) | 1 p.m. (Sunday)
RALEIGH – The No. 21 NC State baseball team opens its 2023 season Friday when the Pack welcomes Wagner to Doak Field at Dail Park. This weekend's three-game opening weekend series will run Friday through Sunday with first pitch times slated for 3 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
All three games will be broadcasted live on ACC Network Extra. A free audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network App for all three games. Friday and Saturday's games will also be available on the radio on WKNC 88.1.
Friday will mark the first meeting between the Wolfpack and Seahawks since Feb. 24, 2013.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday – RHP Logan Whitaker (NCSU) vs. RHP Daniel Merkel (WAG)
Saturday – RHP Matt Willadsen (NCSU) vs. RHP Julian Chabot (WAG)
Sunday – LHP Dominic Fritton (NCSU) vs. RHP Frankie Wright (WAG)
PACK 2-0 AGAINST THE SEAHAWKS
The Pack has faced off against Wagner just twice, sweeping a doubleheader against the Seahawks on Feb. 24, 2013, behind a pair of impressive offensive displays. NC State outscored Wagner 43-4 between the two games, earning an 18-0 win in game one before recording a 25-4 victory in game two. NC State trailed 4-0 after the first inning in game two but rallied with runs scored in seven straight frames to cruise to a 25-4 win.
SCOUTING WAGNER
Wagner finished its 2022 season with a 17-34 overall record, posting a 12-15 conference record in the NEC. Head coach Craig Noto enters his second season in charge of the Wagner program after being named the Seahawks' 14th head coach in program history in May 2021. Senior outfielder Maimu Kobayashi, who led the Seahawks with a .321 batting average this past season, returns for Wagner.
2023 PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Wolfpack finds itself ranked inside the preseason top 25 in five major publications:
• D1Baseball: No. 21
• Perfect Game: No. 21
• USA Today Coaches Poll: No. 22
• NCBWA: No. 24
• Baseball America: No. 25
2022 RECAP
NC State finished with a 36-21 record this past season with a runner-up finish in the ACC Tournament. Despite a trip to the ACC Tournament title game, NC State missed the NCAA Tournament for the first full spring season since 2014.
The Wolfpack finished with a 3-1 record in the ACC Tournament and a 17-16 overall record against ACC opponents. NC State earned a pair of sweeps in ACC action, winning three straight against No. 12 Georgia Tech in March and three straight against Boston College in April.
The Pack also swept its pair of midweek matchups against East Carolina, shutting out the Pirates 2-0 in Greenville before posting a 12-3 win over ECU at The Doak later in the season. Overall, NC State finished with a 10-2 record in midweek action in 2022.
GINO NAMED TO GOLDEN SPIKES PRESEASON WATCH LIST
On Friday, Feb. 10, LuJames Groover III was named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Preseason List. Groover III is one of just 55 student-athletes on the preseason watch list and is the 12th NC State player since 2008 to be named to the list. His inclusion also marks the sixth time in the last five seasons an NC State player has earned a spot on the preseason list.
AVENT'S CHASE TO 1,000 & 1,200
NC State baseball head coach Elliott Avent has reached many milestones throughout his collegiate coaching career, entering the 2023 season with a 1,186-784 overall record and a 962-571 record at NC State. Avent sits just 14 wins away from career victory No. 1,200 and 38 victories away from NC State career win No. 1,000.
With career win No. 1,200, Avent would become the 29th coach in NCAA history to surpass 1,200 career victories.
NC STATE IN SEASON OPENERS (AVENT AT HELM)
In his 27th season at the helm, NC State is 19-7 in season openers under head coach Elliott Avent. The program's longest streak in winning its first game of the year under Avent is eight (2001-08). NC State has won six straight season openers dating back to a 4-0 win at Hawai'i in 2017.
PHASE 1 AT THE DOAK
On Oct. 7, 2022, NC State held a groundbreaking ceremony to honor the start of "Phase One" operations at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State fans will notice the following enhancements to The Doak for the 2023 season:
• New LED Lighting with color changing capability
• New red seats (one-to-one replacement -- same overall capacity)
• New video board (33'x57') and sound system update
• New natural grass/dirt field surrounded by a synthetic surface from Fieldturf
• Renovated dugouts
• Home and visitor bullpens moved beyond the right-field and left-field walls, respectively
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
All three games will be broadcasted live on ACC Network Extra. A free audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network App for all three games. Friday and Saturday's games will also be available on the radio on WKNC 88.1.
Friday will mark the first meeting between the Wolfpack and Seahawks since Feb. 24, 2013.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday – RHP Logan Whitaker (NCSU) vs. RHP Daniel Merkel (WAG)
Saturday – RHP Matt Willadsen (NCSU) vs. RHP Julian Chabot (WAG)
Sunday – LHP Dominic Fritton (NCSU) vs. RHP Frankie Wright (WAG)
PACK 2-0 AGAINST THE SEAHAWKS
The Pack has faced off against Wagner just twice, sweeping a doubleheader against the Seahawks on Feb. 24, 2013, behind a pair of impressive offensive displays. NC State outscored Wagner 43-4 between the two games, earning an 18-0 win in game one before recording a 25-4 victory in game two. NC State trailed 4-0 after the first inning in game two but rallied with runs scored in seven straight frames to cruise to a 25-4 win.
SCOUTING WAGNER
Wagner finished its 2022 season with a 17-34 overall record, posting a 12-15 conference record in the NEC. Head coach Craig Noto enters his second season in charge of the Wagner program after being named the Seahawks' 14th head coach in program history in May 2021. Senior outfielder Maimu Kobayashi, who led the Seahawks with a .321 batting average this past season, returns for Wagner.
2023 PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Wolfpack finds itself ranked inside the preseason top 25 in five major publications:
• D1Baseball: No. 21
• Perfect Game: No. 21
• USA Today Coaches Poll: No. 22
• NCBWA: No. 24
• Baseball America: No. 25
2022 RECAP
NC State finished with a 36-21 record this past season with a runner-up finish in the ACC Tournament. Despite a trip to the ACC Tournament title game, NC State missed the NCAA Tournament for the first full spring season since 2014.
The Wolfpack finished with a 3-1 record in the ACC Tournament and a 17-16 overall record against ACC opponents. NC State earned a pair of sweeps in ACC action, winning three straight against No. 12 Georgia Tech in March and three straight against Boston College in April.
The Pack also swept its pair of midweek matchups against East Carolina, shutting out the Pirates 2-0 in Greenville before posting a 12-3 win over ECU at The Doak later in the season. Overall, NC State finished with a 10-2 record in midweek action in 2022.
GINO NAMED TO GOLDEN SPIKES PRESEASON WATCH LIST
On Friday, Feb. 10, LuJames Groover III was named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Preseason List. Groover III is one of just 55 student-athletes on the preseason watch list and is the 12th NC State player since 2008 to be named to the list. His inclusion also marks the sixth time in the last five seasons an NC State player has earned a spot on the preseason list.
AVENT'S CHASE TO 1,000 & 1,200
NC State baseball head coach Elliott Avent has reached many milestones throughout his collegiate coaching career, entering the 2023 season with a 1,186-784 overall record and a 962-571 record at NC State. Avent sits just 14 wins away from career victory No. 1,200 and 38 victories away from NC State career win No. 1,000.
With career win No. 1,200, Avent would become the 29th coach in NCAA history to surpass 1,200 career victories.
NC STATE IN SEASON OPENERS (AVENT AT HELM)
In his 27th season at the helm, NC State is 19-7 in season openers under head coach Elliott Avent. The program's longest streak in winning its first game of the year under Avent is eight (2001-08). NC State has won six straight season openers dating back to a 4-0 win at Hawai'i in 2017.
PHASE 1 AT THE DOAK
On Oct. 7, 2022, NC State held a groundbreaking ceremony to honor the start of "Phase One" operations at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State fans will notice the following enhancements to The Doak for the 2023 season:
• New LED Lighting with color changing capability
• New red seats (one-to-one replacement -- same overall capacity)
• New video board (33'x57') and sound system update
• New natural grass/dirt field surrounded by a synthetic surface from Fieldturf
• Renovated dugouts
• Home and visitor bullpens moved beyond the right-field and left-field walls, respectively
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
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